Utsunomiya Line
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Utsunomiya Line | |
---|---|
JU | |
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Overview | |
Locale | Tokyo, Saitama, Tochigi, Ibaraki |
Termini | Tokyo Kuroiso |
Stations | 33 |
Service | |
Type | Heavy rail |
Operator(s) | ![]() |
Depot(s) | Oyama |
History | |
Opened | 1883 |
Technical | |
Line length | 163.5 km (101.6 mi) |
Track gauge | 1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in) |
Electrification | 1,500 V DC overhead catenary |
Operating speed | 120 km/h (75 mph) |
The Utsunomiya Line(Japanese: 宇都宮線, Japanese pronunciation: [Utsunomiya-sen]) is the name given to a 163.5 kilometer section of the Tōhoku Main Line between Tokyo Station in Tokyo and Kuroiso Station in Nasushiobara, Tochigi, Japan. It is part of the East Japan Railway Company (JR East) network.
Services[]
Services on the Utsunomiya Line are typically divided into three categories: services to or from Ueno, Shōnan–Shinjuku Line services, and Ueno–Tokyo Line services. Between Ueno and Ōmiya, trains share the track with the Takasaki Line, both of which serve as de facto express services compared to the parallel Keihin–Tōhoku Line. Northbound services mostly terminate at Utsunomiya or Koganei, with some at Koga, and very few at Kuroiso. Southbound trains mostly travel through the Shōnan–Shinjuku Line to Zushi on the Yokosuka Line, or the Ueno–Tokyo Line to Atami on the Tōkaidō Line, with a few trains terminating at Ueno.
The fastest service on the line, the rapid Rabbit, makes the run between Ueno and Utsunomiya in 1 hour and 26 minutes.
Service on the line is generally divided at Utsunomiya, though the number of through trains has been increasing steadily over the years. South of Utsunomiya, 10- and 15-car E231-1000/E233-3000 series four-door suburban commuter EMUs with Green cars attached service the line, while to the north service is provided chiefly by 4-car 205-600 series four-door EMUs.
Limited express[]
Limited express services use the line, including:
- Nikkō / Spacia Nikkō / Kinugawa / Spacia Kinugawa (from Ikebukuro/Shinjuku to Kurihashi and on to the Tōbu Nikkō Line)
Local/rapid services[]
Rapid Rabbit[]
Since March 2015, Rapid Rabbit services now run from Kōzu on the Tōkaidō Line, through the Ueno–Tokyo Line, to Utsunomiya. This service stops at every station on the Tōkaidō Line, and skips some stations on the Utsunomiya Line. Rabbit trains were first operated by the Japanese National Railways as an hourly/half-hourly rapid service. From October 2004, Rabbit services ran only twice during the morning; on weekends, they replaced the weekday commuter rapid service. From March 2021, the commuter rapid service was consolidated into the rapid Rabbit service, which now operate two trains one-way from the Tōkaidō Line (one from Odawara and one from Kōzu) to Utsunomiya in the morning, and between three and five trains each way between Ueno and Utsunomiya in the evening.[1]
Local[]
Local trains run four times hourly; one of those terminates at Koganei, while the rest terminate at Utsunomiya. During the morning peak, Tokyo-bound trains run at intervals of 4–6 minutes. Services are provided by E231/E233 series 10- or 15-car EMUs. Most trains continue south to the Tōkaidō Line through the Ueno–Tokyo Line, while some trains stop at Ueno.
Shōnan–Shinjuku Line services[]
Within the Utsunomiya Line, Shōnan–Shinjuku Line rapid and local trains are each operated once per hour. They do not stop at Saitama-Shintoshin Station since it has no platforms available. They operate between Zushi on the Yokosuka Line and Utsunomiya.
Rapid[]
Rapid trains operate once hourly, making limited stops. The travel time between Shinjuku and Utsunomiya is about 1 hour and 35 minutes.
Local[]
Local trains operate once hourly (twice hourly during the morning), stopping at all stations. The travel time between Shinjuku and Ōmiya is about 32 minutes.
Utsunomiya – Kuroiso services[]
Between Utsunomiya and Kuroiso, local and rapid trains stop at every station. Trains operate approximately three times per hour, traveling between Utsunomiya and Kuroiso in approximately 50 minutes. Most trains are 205-600 series EMUs.
Past services[]
Commuter rapid[]
Commuter rapid services for Utsunomiya made fewer stops than the Rabbit rapid services. They were operated only on weekday evenings, between Ueno and Utsunomiya. Trains departed Ueno between 18:00 and 22:00, and Utsunomiya between 16:00 and 21:00, with approximately one round-trip per hour. All trains were E231/E233 series 10- or 15-car EMUs. This service ended on 12 March 2021.[1]
Rapid Acty[]
From March 2015, with the Ueno–Tokyo Line opening, Tōkaidō Line Rapid Acty services ran up along the Utsunomiya Line. Services stopped at every station on the Utsunomiya Line, and skipped some stations on the Tōkaidō Line. Since 13 March 2021, Acty services stopped running through to the Utsunomiya Line.[2]
Limited Express[]
- Hokutosei, Cassiopeia (once or twice daily night trains)
Home Liner Koga[]
Two trains bound for Koga depart Ueno every weekday evening. Passengers can board only at Ueno; all other stations are for disembarking only. Stops include: Ueno, Urawa, Ōmiya, Higashi-Ōmiya, Hasuda, Kuki, and Koga. Service is provided by 7-car 185 series and 9-car 489 series EMUs.
Station list[]
- Local trains, excluding Shōnan–Shinjuku Line through trains, stop at all stations within the Utsunomiya Line (except Nippori)
- For limited express services, please see their respective articles.
Legends:
- ● : All trains stop
- |: All trains pass
- ▼: Shōnan–Shinjuku Line trains stop, but use dedicated platforms on the Tōhoku Freight Line
- ∥ : Shōnan–Shinjuku Line trains do not travel within this section
Station | Japanese | Distance (km) | Local | Rapid Rabbit | Shōnan–Shinjuku Line | Transfers | Location | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Between stations |
From Tokyo | ||||||||||
via Oku | via Ōji | Local | Rapid | ||||||||
Through services from/to: | JU Ueno–Tokyo Line for JT Tōkaidō Line and JT Itō Line |
JS Shōnan–Shinjuku Line (for JO Yokosuka Line) |
|||||||||
Tokyo TYOJU01
|
東京 | - | 0.0 | ● | ● | ∥ | ∥ |
|
Chiyoda | Tokyo | |
Ueno UENJU02
|
上野 | 3.6 | 3.6 | ● | ● | ∥ | ∥ |
|
Taitō | ||
Nippori | 日暮里 | 2.2 | 5.8 | | | | | ∥ | ∥ | Arakawa | |||
Oku JU03 |
尾久 | 2.6 | 8.4 | - | ● | | | ∥ | ∥ | Kita | ||
Akabane ABNJU04
|
赤羽 | 5.0 | 13.4 | 13.2 | ● | ● | ▼ | ▼ |
| ||
Urawa URWJU05
|
浦和 | 11.0 | 24.4 | 24.2 | ● | ● | ▼ | ▼ | JK Keihin–Tōhoku Line | Urawa-ku, Saitama | Saitama |
Saitama-Shintoshin JU06 |
さいたま新都心 | 4.5 | 28.9 | 28.7 | ● | | | | | | | JK Keihin–Tōhoku Line | Ōmiya-ku, Saitama | |
Ōmiya OMYJU07
|
大宮 | 1.6 | 30.5 | 30.3 | ● | ● | ● | ● |
| ||
End of suburban section | |||||||||||
Toro | 土呂 | 3.0 | 33.5 | 33.3 | ● | | | ● | | | Kita-ku, Saitama | ||
Higashi-Ōmiya | 東大宮 | 2.1 | 35.6 | 35.4 | ● | ● | ● | ● | Minuma-ku, Saitama | ||
Hasuda | 蓮田 | 3.8 | 39.4 | 39.2 | ● | ● | ● | ● | Hasuda | ||
Shiraoka | 白岡 | 4.3 | 43.7 | 43.5 | ● | | | ● | | | Shiraoka | ||
Shin-Shiraoka | 新白岡 | 2.4 | 46.1 | 45.9 | ● | | | ● | | | |||
Kuki | 久喜 | 3.0 | 49.1 | 48.9 | ● | ● | ● | ● | TI Tōbu Isesaki Line | Kuki | |
Higashi-Washinomiya | 東鷲宮 | 2.7 | 51.8 | 51.6 | ● | | | ● | | | |||
Kurihashi | 栗橋 | 5.6 | 57.4 | 57.2 | ● | | | ● | | | TN Tōbu Nikkō Line | ||
Koga | 古河 | 7.5 | 64.9 | 64.7 | ● | ● | ● | ● | Koga | Ibaraki | |
Nogi | 野木 | 4.7 | 69.6 | 69.4 | ● | | | ● | | | Nogi, Shimotsuga District | Tochigi | |
Mamada | 間々田 | 3.9 | 73.5 | 73.3 | ● | | | ● | | | Oyama | ||
Oyama | 小山 | 7.3 | 80.8 | 80.6 | ● | ● | ● | ● |
| ||
Koganei | 小金井 | 7.5 | 88.3 | 88.1 | ● | ● | ● | ● | Shimotsuke | ||
Jichi Medical University | 自治医大 | 2.6 | 90.9 | 90.7 | ● | ● | ● | ● | |||
Ishibashi | 石橋 | 4.7 | 95.6 | 95.4 | ● | ● | ● | ● | |||
Utsunomiya Freight Terminal | 宇都宮貨物ターミナル | 1.2 | 96.8 | 96.6 | | | | | | | | | Kaminokawa, Kawachi District | ||
Suzumenomiya | 雀宮 | 5.2 | 102.0 | 101.8 | ● | ● | ● | ● | Utsunomiya | ||
Utsunomiya | 宇都宮 | 7.7 | 109.7 | 109.5 | ● | ● | ● | ● |
| ||
Okamoto | 岡本 | 6.2 | 115.9 | 115.7 | ● | ||||||
Hōshakuji | 宝積寺 | 5.5 | 121.4 | 121.2 | ● | ■ Karasuyama Line[* 1] | Takanezawa, Shioya District | ||||
Ujiie | 氏家 | 5.9 | 127.3 | 127.1 | ● | Sakura | |||||
Kamasusaka | 蒲須坂 | 4.5 | 131.8 | 131.6 | ● | ||||||
Kataoka | 片岡 | 3.9 | 135.7 | 135.5 | ● | Yaita | |||||
Yaita | 矢板 | 6.3 | 142.0 | 141.8 | ● | ||||||
Nozaki | 野崎 | 4.8 | 146.8 | 146.6 | ● | Ōtawara | |||||
Nishi-Nasuno | 西那須野 | 5.2 | 152.0 | 151.8 | ● | Nasushiobara | |||||
Nasushiobara | 那須塩原 | 6.0 | 158.0 | 157.8 | ● |
| |||||
Kuroiso | 黒磯 | 5.5 | 163.5 | 163.3 | ● | ■ Tōhoku Main Line (for Shirakawa and Kōriyama) |
- ^ Some Karasuyama Line trains run through to Utsunomiya.
Rolling stock[]
Tokyo—Ueno—Utsunomiya—Kuroiso[]
- E231-1000 series EMUs
- E233-3000 series EMUs
Utsunomiya—Kuroiso[]
- 205-600 series EMUs
Future[]
- E131 series 3-car EMUs (from Spring 2022)[3]
Utsunomiya—Hōshakuji (Karasuyama Line through service)[]
- EV-E301 series BEMUs
From March 2013, a fleet of eight refurbished 4-car 205-600 series EMUs was phased in on Utsunomiya Line services between Utsunomiya and Kuroiso, replacing 211 series sets.[4]
An E231-1000 series EMU
An E233-3000 series EMU
A 205-600 series EMU
History[]
See also[]
- Tōhoku Main Line
- Takasaki Line
- Shōnan–Shinjuku Line
- Ueno–Tokyo Line
References[]
- ^ Jump up to: a b "March 2021 Timetable Revision (Ofuna branch)" (PDF). 18 December 2020.
- ^ "March 2021 Timetable Revision (Yokohama branch)" (PDF). 18 December 2020.
- ^ "宇都宮線・日光線に新型車両を投入します" [New train sets for the Utsunomiya and Nikko Lines] (PDF). 17 June 2021. Retrieved 17 June 2021.
- ^ 日光線、宇都宮線に205系リニューアル車投入 [Refurbished 205 series to be introduced on Nikko and Utunomiya Line]. Tetsudo Hobidas (in Japanese). Japan: Neko Publishing Co., Ltd. 27 September 2012. Retrieved 28 September 2012.
External links[]
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to Utsunomiya Line. |
- Stations of the Tōhoku Main Line (JR East) (in Japanese)
- Utsunomiya Line
- Lines of East Japan Railway Company
- Rail transport in Ibaraki Prefecture
- Rail transport in Tochigi Prefecture
- Rail transport in Saitama Prefecture
- Railway lines in Tokyo
- 1067 mm gauge railways in Japan
- Railway lines opened in 1883